[3] The grove (lucus) of Libitina was located on the Esquiline Hill,[4] as were several religious sites indicating that the area had "unhealthy and ill-omened" associations.
[7] When a person died, the treasury of the temple collected a coin as a "death tax" supposed to have been established by Servius Tullius.
"[13] Varro, however, offers a Latin etymology from lubere, "to be pleasing," related to libido, that attempts to explain the goddess's connection to Venus.
[14] Venus Lubentina or Libitina may result from an identification with the Etruscan Alpanu (also as Alpan or Alpnu) who had characteristics of both a love goddess and an underworld deity.
The Etruscan formula alpan turce is equivalent to libens dedit, "gave freely or willingly," in Latin.